Diary of a Working Mom: Our Morning Routine

Being a working mom is probably the hardest thing I’ve done in my life thus far. Stay at home moms are busy enough, that’s a full time job in itself! But then add working outside the home on top of all of that, I’m surprised I get everything done.

Oh wait!

I don’t.

But that’s okay. Sometimes the dishes go unwashed and the laundry goes unfolded. That’s okay. I try my hardest to make sure these things get done, but some weeks they slip through the cracks and I need to learn not to beat myself up over it. I’m doing the best I can.

Since I work in the afternoons, I need to make the most of my mornings to ensure our life doesn’t get too hectic. Even on the days I’m home, I still try to make the most of my mornings so that I can (attempt) to take things easy in the evenings. I recommend all mamas make the most of the mornings! I don’t know about your babes, but Sawyer is happiest and most content in the mornings, so that’s when I can get the most done! Here’s what a typical work-day morning looks like for us.

Sawyer usually wakes up around 8:30 or 9:00am. When he initially wakes up, I’ll set him up in his crib with some toys and an Elmo video on my phone. Then, I get up, go to the bathroom, and brush my teeth (I always brush my teeth first thing when I wake up, I can’t stand it for more than a few minutes!). I’ll grab the boppy pillow and a burp cloth and get set up to nurse. Then, I’ll change Sawyer’s diaper, and then nurse him. He’ll typical eat for 30 minutes to an hour. Generally more on the side of an hour, since my supply is usually really high first thing in the morning since it had all night to replenish.

After he eats, I’ll put him in the baby seat in the bathroom while I do my hair, make-up, and get dressed. Since I always shower the night before, this usually only takes me 20 minutes or so.

Mama Hack: Always get dressed and ready as soon as you get up. I used to lay around in my pajamas and only change right before I had to leave. Or if I wasn’t working that day, stay in them until the early afternoon! I find I’m much more productive if I’m dressed and ready before I head downstairs. It gives me a much more productive outlook on my day!

After I’m ready, I take Sawyer to his room and get him dressed. Then, I’ll take Bennett out to go to the bathroom and feed him. After, we go downstairs, and I put Sawyer in his mamaroo and turn on Sesame Street. Like I mentioned before, Sawyer is most content in the mornings. I think because he’s rested from sleeping all night, and full from just eating. So he’ll usually watch Sesame Street for like an hour, which is the perfect time for me to get some blogging done! I’ll answer emails, work on posts, and update my social media. If it’s a work day, this will be the only hour I get all day to work on my blog so I try to get as much done during that hour as possible. If I’m staying home, I might be able to get a little more done during nap time and after he goes to bed. But he’s still not a great napper so I get as much done during my “blogging hour” as I can.

When he starts to get restless and fussy, I’ll save what I’m working on, pick him up, and head into the kitchen. I’ll set him in his high chair and start my “cooking hour” where I literally cook all 3 meals for the day in under one hour. I make breakfast for all 3 of us, start a pot of coffee, pack lunches for Kurtis and I, and put dinner in the crockpot so it will be ready when we get home. Kurtis likes to sleep late and is usually just getting downstairs at this point, if he didn’t have to open at work. Once he does, we’ll all eat breakfast, which usually consists of oat cereal for Sawyer, oatmeal, avocado toast, and coffee for Kurtis, and avocado toast and green tea for me. For days Kurtis does open at work, I make a batch of muffins every Monday to last the week and keep frozen breakfast burritos in the freezer so he can grab breakfast on the go. The breakfast table is usually when Kurtis and I get our bible study done, pray as a family, and spend a few minutes together before he heads off to work.

If Kurtis is closing, he’ll usually leave after breakfast. After he’s gone I’ll clean up from my cooking hour, do my housework for the day (I assign myself a few household chores per day rather than doing them all on my days off), walk the dog, and pack up Sawyer’s diaper bag and food for the day. He’ll need a big jar of pumped breastmilk, a couple of scoops of formula, and a few purees to last him the day at Grandma’s. We use a SoYoung lunch box to hold all his food. It’s so cute and it insulated so nothing goes bad!

After I’m finally done with everything I need to do for the morning, it’s usually time for Sawyer to nurse again. So I’ll turn on some TV for me to watch, settle in to feed him, and relax for a short while after my hectic morning. As soon as he’s done, I try to have a little time to sit and cuddle with him before I set him back in the mamaroo to go load up the car. You guys should see me trying to load my car. When I’m taking him to Grandma’s I have so much stuff it’s unbelievable! I have my work/gym bag, my pump bag, my lunchbox, the diaper bag, and Sawyer’s lunch box. I try to get it all out in one trip and I’m sure my neighbors have a laugh at watching me stumble down the stairs to my car with 5 big bags in my hands! After I’ve loaded the car, I get Sawyer in his car seat, load him up, and we head to Grandma’s! After dropping him off, I head off to an equally hectic 8 hour shift at work.

After reading this back, I am so grateful I only work 3 days a week. Moms who work full time, you are saints. I don’t know how you do it! The only way I’m able to get everything done that I need to is because I stick to the very strict schedule I just described. And it’s really hard. Chances are I’m not in the best mood while I’m running around doing a bunch of cleaning and trying to cook 3 meals before heading to work. I’m usually stressed and some mornings I cry, and some mornings I don’t do any of it. Some days I’m exhausted and I skip my chores or the cooking.

And thats okay! It needs to be okay in order for me to stay sane! At the end of the day, I’m grateful for the time, however hectic, I get to spend with Sawyer in the mornings. And I’m extremely grateful for part time work hours!

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3 Comments

I also find it hard to strike a balance. I think some things have got to give. I definitely try my best to balance home and work life and do a lot of extra work after my son is in bed. We also hired a cleaner – saved our life!